While corporate personal computer (PC) users often have access to a “remote help desk”, home PC users may not have a convenient system for supporting the PC maintenance and repair functions. Short of calling a PC repair person to a home or taking the PC to a repair center, consumers have not had an easily available resource for addressing PC problems, and specifically, software related problems. Moreover, many home PC users are ill-equipped and/or uninformed to safely configure and use their PC, and importantly, users tend to not want to be bothered with maintaining their PC.
Adequate PC security and maintenance typically involves many layers of applications. Each of these applications are often used separately on a scheduled basis or continuously for greatest effect. Unless the end user executes these programs or allows them to run themselves, the level of security is diminished. Typically, these applications do not consider the other applications when executed which often leads to PC system and application conflicts, thereby resulting in lowered security and system instability.
As such, questions remain as to how to best service the computing needs of the average PC user. Such question include, for example How can customers request service by phone if all technicians are busy?; How can different levels of service be provided in a call queue environment?; How can appointments be integrated into a call queue?; How can unlimited services to subscribers profitably?; How can a call center determine if the computer that the customer is calling about has a subscription?; How can work done on customers' computers be efficiently tracked?; and How can we accurately track technician productivity?
In addition, many third-party PC maintenance and repair services advertise their service to customers through TV, radio and print media. Many marketing companies are often paid based on their performance. This is done by paying the marketing company for each call received or for each new subscription generated by the campaign. Often these marketing companies work together, so for every sale that occurs, multiple companies may need to be paid.
Therefore, there is a need for a solution that addresses the aforementioned concerns, while integrating with the existing proprietary billing systems.